Nikola Jokic was supposed to limit Denver’s defensive success, but the Nuggets have locked down the Suns in the first two games? How? Why can’t Phoenix exploit Jokic’s defense? This detailed film breakdown & scouting report breaks down the Nuggets defensive tactics, and why Coach Michael Malone, Aaron Gordon, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown and others have use horizontal quickness to slow down Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns.
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Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
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20 Comments
I hope Coach Monty plays the rest of his bench more because some of his rotations have been questionable sometimes
Watching a lot of these possessions, it’s absurd how inactive Ayton is on the offensive glass. He just watched 6’3 Bruce Brown go up and get one lmaoo
I also think this defensive scheme maximizes Jokic in putting him in the best position to secure rebounds off miss mid range shots. Just the way the nuggets defenders attack the suns almost forces the cutter who is trying to secure the offensive rebound directly into Jokic boxing out. And since Jokic is such a great rebounder he is pretty much always going to win that. Even if it’s Ayton.
I'm a philly fan, so you will never catch me saying Jokic is better than Embiid. But he is undoubtedly nr.2
Their three stars all do the same thing and Ayton does nothing but screen and catch lobs when someone drives. They are so stupidly predictable. Someone's driving? Let me guess, Ayton is running a few feet away looking for a lob.
Denver is winning the chip, Joker or Mal FMVP LETS GO
It's because they don't run an offense. Mainly. But yes the nuggets have never been a bottom 5 defense. It was wrong to thing 7 footers were able to guard Steph outside. Also to think 7 footers can guard the 3 while in drop coverage. So it's shame on the viewers
Great analysis. It's interesting how Denver's defense is forcing the best mid-range team in the league outside their comfort zone, and shooting so many mid-rangers! Fascinating.
I'd like to see Phoenix attack Jokic with any of:
1. Ram screens into P&Rs
2. Slip the P&R
3. Veer pin-downs
4. Zoom
Or really anything that will impede his ability to show on P&Rs.
maybe they can't attack his defense because he's an elite defender? yknow, like defensive box plus/minus, defensive rating and defensive win shares have been saying all season and for the past several seasons?
naaah, couldn't be. another L for Jokic haters.
It sucks Chris Paul is old and possibly injured, it would have been so entertaining to see him try to pick this defense apart, especially if he was a few years younger. Would have been the ultimate chess match.
Phoenix could look for Hammer Screens on the Weakside during PnR, or even screen your own and have wing player drift to the corner. This way you'll generate open threes, long closeouts and probably easier looking passes
Just to further add to your comments about the skip pass. When it is Booker or Paul with the ball a lot of the times the weakside defender is athletic enough and long enough to split and make the pass difficult (mostly thinking of Gordon or Porter Jr). As shorter guys they kind of have to lob the skip pass (they aren't tall enough to see over Denver's D) and even if they do it well enough to get it there the higher arching pass give the defender time to recover.
They have to attack the hedge. The slow dribble around the PnR works when there is a switch or a drop, but against a hedge you have to go fast and attack it. Either getting around it or through it for a layup or foul, or forcing a switch due to the speed and intensity.
The only way the PnR can kill Jokic is if you can pull up from 30 off the dribble like Curry and Dame
Jokic the REAL MVP, unlike the philly phlopper
maybe if phoenix counters the drop by the ball handler givving shooters dribble hand offs? But they maybe dont have the personnel
Jokic is the real MVP not Embiid
denver is so good rn
Maybe Jokic and the nuggets are just better on defense when they dont play facu austin rivers and will barton
hopefully denver faces the lakers instead of the warriors next round. their matchup vs the warriors is terrible